Thill-coupling.



Patented Nov, 20, |900;

W. S. CASTLE.

L COUPLING.

n flnd Supt. 13, 1900.

THIL

flo Model.)

WLZza/s, cew'az@ ty' aww/who@ alito/www IlNrrn TATES WALTER S. CASTLE, OF LEESBURG, VIRGINIA.

'THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,952, dated November 20, 1900;

Application filed September 13, 1 900. Serial No. 29,920. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER S. CASTLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leesburg, in the county of Loudoun and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention has for its object to provide an improved thill coupling which shall be simple and economical in its construction,comprising but few parts,and which is adapted to be connected with an axle by the ordinary clip, thecomplete device being capable of ready operation for attaching or detaching the thills to or from the vehicle.

To the above ends my invention consists of the details of construction and general arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of my improved coupling, showing the same in a closed position; Fig. 2, a similar view showing the parts in an open position, and Fig. 3 a vertical longitudinal section.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several iigures ofy the drawings.

In carrying out my invention the upper fixed jaw or section A of my improved device is adapted to be rigidly secured to the axle B of a vehicle by means of the clip C, the downwardly-extending arms c of which project through the openings a in said jaw or section A and being screw-threaded are adapted to receive suitable nuts to hold the two parts securely together. The outer or projecting end A of said jaw or section A is provided with the recess h and bearings d for the reception of the thill-iron D, as shown. The movable jaw or section E is adapted to 'be suitably hinged or pivoted to the upper fixed jaw or section A in such manner as to close upon the recess b and bearings d to hold the thill in proper position therein, as shown in Figs. l and 3, and is also adapted to be readily thrown open to release the thill therefrom, as shown in Fig. 2.

The rearwardly-extending arm E' of the movable jaw E is provided with a suitable recess e, which is adapted to receive and cover the nuts upon the lower end of clip C when the parts are in a closed position, and upon the extreme end of said arm E is provided a suitable spring-actuated latch f, which engages with the recess g in the downwardlydepending lug h upon the rear end of the fixed jaw or section A to hold the two jaws 0r sections together.

The lower part of the recess b in the outer end of the fixed jaw or section A is adapted to be provided with a suitable block or sheet of rubber, and as the outer end of the movable jaw or section E fits closely upon the upper part of said thill-iron when in position within said recess all liability of rattling is obviated. It will also be observed that the open slots Z, leading to the bearings d in the fixed jaw or section A, are adapted to be closed when the thill-iron is in position within the recess b by the wings c' upon the sides of the outer end of the movable jaw E, as shown, and the outer curved end 7c of said jaw lits closely over the upper part of said thill-iron to secure the same within said recess.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A thill-coupling consisting of the fixed jaw or section A adapted to be secured to the axle by the clip C, and provided at its front end with a recess b and bearings d, and at its rear end with a downwardly-projecting lug h, having a recess g, in combination with a movable jaw or section E, suitably hinged or pivoted to said fixed jaw or section A, and provided with a central recess e, curved outer end 7c provided with side wings i, and the springactuated latch f, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER S. CASTLE.

Witnesses:

PARKER H. SWEET, J r., SAML. A. DRURY. 

